


Not a Bunny

by Moonrose91



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 02:32:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 7,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11004153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose91/pseuds/Moonrose91
Summary: Everyone has a Secondary Shape, of course.Dwarves generally have ones that are known for the mountains, Elves for the forests.Men are whatever is closest (though in Rohan not having a horse shape is considered strange and odd, but that is neither here nor there).Hobbits, of course, reflect their lovely little homes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elluvias](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elluvias/gifts).



> ....You may recognize this. I'll possibly go back and edit, later, but not now.

Bilbo Baggins was a respectable Hobbit from the Shire, despite the fact he was heading on a quest.

As such, he would not shift, especially as his animal upset people usually and, really, he had no desire to upset any of his companions, though he doubted he could ever actually upset any of them as they were all...much bigger then he, in fact.

And it confused him greatly that they _kept_ shifting in front of him!

He was not one of them, Thorin's insisted in all but words that they were not close.

And yet they still shift!

Thorin Oakenshield was an impressive snow leopard, for one. He had shifted once mid-battle, according to Balin, to kill a warg that was threatening his family.

Both Fili and Kili were lynxes and are more concerned with pouncing on Thorin's tail or cuddling with each other (or trying to shove each other off the rock they were both occupying) then actually scouting, which was the only other reason they took their forms.

Dwalin was a heavily scarred bear while Balin was a mountain goat.

Nori was a gray fox, while Dori was a bighorn sheep, often taking to headbutting Nori whenever Dori was shifted. Bilbo suspected it was whenever Dori thought Nori did something stupid.

Bilbo, when he learned Ori's shift, had to resist the urge, though he barely managed, to coo over the little pika, the smallest member of the company, with big round ears and sniffling nose and no tail to speak of.

Ori, whenever he was in his other form, usually sat on the head of another's shift, though rarely his own brothers. There, he sat right between their shoulder blades, so as not to get accidentally squashed when, inevitably, Dori would slam his head into Nori's side.

He had also taken to sitting on Bilbo's shoulder, something that made Bilbo quite confused.

Gloin and Oin were ibexes, though Oin's horns curled farther back then Gloin's, which was their only difference in the shifts.

Both Bifur and Bombur were elk, which surprised Bilbo as he had thought they were only forest creatures, but considering no one was surprised and, in fact, Bofur told him they weren't from the same 'clan' as the rest of the Company, but another, though Bofur didn't say which, so they were a bit odder then the others. (Bilbo took to, privately, calling them the Brandybucks of the Company, but that is neither here nor there.)

Bifur rarely shifted, though Bilbo was sure that had to do with the fact he had an ax embedded in his head and it hurt to do so over anything else.

Bofur, however, was a mystery until he took to his red fox form and jumped right into Bilbo's lap, silently laughing at how that had startled Bilbo.

And they took their forms all. The. Time.

To cuddle, to hide (as Orcs had lost the ability to shift long ago), or to sneak about, getting a better lay of the land.

And, all was fine.

Well, as fine as a scandalized Hobbit _could_ be, but...well, Bilbo just barely managed to keep himself from being scandalized, though he was often drawn into fights, with Kili darting to hide behind Bilbo when he pushed his brother too far, instead of Thorin, and...

Well, Bilbo was managing.

At least until, one day, Fili and Kili turned curious eyes to Bilbo and asked, "How come we haven't ever seen _your_ shift Master Burglar?"

Were Bilbo back at Bag-End, and if Ori were not on his shoulder, he would have fainted dead away at the question.

Instead, he just made a strangled sound and focused on his bowl of food, ignoring how all the Dwarfs now watched him, curious.

And from behind his beard, Gandalf smiled in amusement.

It had taken much longer for one of the youngest to get curious and ask.

Now...if only to start pushing them in the right direction to bug the Hobbit and rid the last of that ridiculous 'proper Baggins' notion right out of the fool Hobbit's head.

His mother was never so ridiculous and Bilbo's shift, a gleaming 'shadow' in the Wizard's sight, would be useful.

And revealing.


	2. Chapter 2

Their first attempt to scare Bilbo into shifting came the night following Bilbo refusing to explain why he did not shift in front of the Dwarfs backfired, spectacularly, though Bilbo got an interesting piece of history out of it.

Bilbo would not insult the memories that weighed so heavily on most of the Company a 'story', but 'history' worked beautifully.

The day after _that_ Fili and Kili had taken to pouncing on Bilbo, both in, and out, of their shifts, which caused Bilbo no end of disturbance, and pain.

Hobbits, unlike Dwarfs, shifted when startled badly enough.

This was not common knowledge, for obvious reasons in that the Hobbits kept away from the Tall Folk (and, really, anyone who wasn't a Hobbit for the most part, though their "relations" in Bree were an oddity, some even living in _houses_ instead of nice Hobbit holes and their shifts reflecting that change, much to any respectable Hobbit's horror when the stories managed to weave their way up to Bag-End) and it was even less common knowledge, even within _Hobbits_ , that there was a rather large amount of pain that went with _stopping_ that natural instinct.

So, really, Bilbo was not appreciating Fili and Kili leaping out of nowhere and trying to scare the living daylights out of him, or his shift out of him, as the case may be.

Two days later, his bones were aching and he had nearly lost it twice.

He shook all over with a slightly irritated sigh, feeling baited and, really, he did not like that feeling.

"Are you alright Bilbo?" Bofur asked and Bilbo nodded before he pulled a smile from somewhere to give Bofur.

"Yes, quite alright. Fili and Kili are truly starting to get on my nerves, however," Bilbo answered and resisted the urge, masterfully, to snarl at them.

"Odd, isn't it?" Bofur questioned and Bilbo raised an eyebrow at him.

Bofur gave him a smile. "They talked to Gandalf shortly before starting their little pranks on you," he explained.

Bilbo felt his spine stiffen and he sighed, rubbing his neck. "Of course. Of _course_ it is Gandalf. It is _always_ Gandalf," Bilbo muttered and opened his eyes, stalking over to where the Wizard was settled against a tree.

"Why must you torment me so?" Bilbo demanded.

Gandalf glanced up. "I have no idea what you mean Bilbo," Gandalf answered and Bilbo bared his teeth then, feeling his shift starting to happen before he took a deep breath, covering his face.

It whooshed out of his lungs and he felt the shift slowly slink back into his bones, bring with it a doubling of the ache already there.

"Gandalf, I would appreciate it if you would get the Twins that aren't really twins to _stop_ trying to startle me into shifting," Bilbo argued softly.

"I cannot help it that they are full of insatiable curiosity. They just want to know what your shift is," Gandalf answered and Bilbo very nearly lost control at the Wizard again.

Yes, he was _definitely_ being baited.

Bilbo took a few more calming breaths before he answered, "You know why I won't shift Gandalf."

Gandalf hummed a bit before he lit his pipe and Bilbo scowled. "Well, you ignored me on the adventure. Why would I think you would listen _now_?" Bilbo muttered as he stalked away, back to where Bofur was sitting and sat next to him without really thinking about it.

He also didn't think much of it when Bofur took his fox shift and jumped into Bilbo's lap and Bilbo, instead of tensing, gently rubbed behind Bofur's ears, the soft thrum of pain running over his bones.

Shifting was going to be rather painful the next time he had to.

Oh well.

Not their fault, not really.

It wasn't like they (Gandalf included) _knew_ it hurt.

He would just huff and bear it.

Couldn't get worse, right?

The next night, with Ori on his shoulder and Bofur contentedly sleeping on his lap, Bilbo rubbing that spot behind Bofur's ears (it was comforting and it took Bilbo's mind off his marrow-deep ache), when Fili and Kili bounded over, each settling next to Bilbo and cuddling up on either side of him.

"They're apologizing," Thorin rumbled out and Bilbo looked up before frowning a bit.

"For what?" Bilbo questioned.

"For taunting you about not having a shift," Thorin explained and Bilbo smacked his head back against the tree he was leaning against with a sigh.

He was wrong.

It got worse.


	3. Chapter 3

"I have a shift," Bilbo grit out.

This, he decided, was worse then Fili and Kili jumping out at him at every opportunity. The ache was still in his bones, but it was that distant kind of ache that came with an old break acting up in bad weather.

And it would, with Bilbo just curling up and wanting to sleep for a few days after, till Bilbo shifted, mostly because he was being difficult and refusing to shift.

His own fault, really.

But, no, the ache wasn't what made this so much worse.

What made this so much worse was the way Ori was staring at him with wide eyes that did what Fili and Kili could not.

Made Bilbo feel guilty about the way he was raised.

"Well, if you have a shift...why don't you ever slip into it?" Ori questioned, voice earnest and Bilbo feels his will shake precariously under the weight of the youngest's gaze.

Well, maybe youngest.

Bilbo wasn't, exactly, an expert in guessing Dwarf ages.

Bilbo was still ready to swear up and down that Ori was a tween.

A very innocent tween that stared up at you with big eyes, near tears, holding a bird and begging you to save it when there was no chance and being quite unable to explain why...

Bilbo snapped off that line of thought and gave Ori a small smile. "I just don't, Ori," he responded calmly and Ori frowned.

"That's not a reason...or an explanation," he stated after a few seconds.

Bilbo internally cursed.

And then a lynx leaped up onto his saddle, Myrtle barely even twitching and Bilbo nearly lost himself to his shift.

"Fili, why are you on my saddle instead of scouting?" Bilbo questioned.

The lynx's ears twitched in surprise, and everyone (omitting Thorin) stared at where they were.

Bilbo really should have expected Fili to shift while sitting in front of Bilbo, but oddly, so he was facing the Hobbit with Bilbo's arms around him.

Bilbo glared slightly and sighed. "You're going to hurt Myrtle," Bilbo stated and Fili hesitated a bit before he shifted back and immediately settled so he could cuddle against Bilbo in a way that made Bilbo very uncomfortable.

Couldn't he at least perch on the bags behind him?

"You cheat!" Kili exclaimed, surprising everyone, except Bilbo, Thorin (as far as Bilbo could tell), and Gandalf, when he rushed back out, in his Dwarf form.

Bilbo sighed when he felt Fili rub his face against Bilbo's knee and Bilbo reached out, grabbing Kili by the scruff.

Kili shifted and Bilbo barely had the strength, and the grip, to haul Kili onto the saddle with him. "If you're going to act like cubs, I am going to treat you as such. Brats," Bilbo muttered affectionately, and he held out his hand when Ori's eyes, somehow, got wider.

The pika was in his palm within seconds and running up Bilbo's arm to settle on his shoulder while Dori collected the now unburdened, in a manner of speaking, pony.

Kili and Fili somehow piled on top of each other as well as curled up, uncomfortably, in front of Bilbo and that was that.

Until they reached the campsite, Myrtle quietly, and easily, carried a slowly losing weight Hobbit, two lynxes, and a pika, though she didn't even notice the small little creature that huddled in that warm spot against Bilbo's neck and right under the collar.

Dwalin, however, was frowning a bit.

'Cubs' was a pretty specific thing to say, when none there were 'cubs'.

Only _Dwalin_ had ever called them as such, but he was a bear.

So...what did that make their Burglar?


	4. Chapter 4

"You two are impossible!" Bilbo exclaimed and the lynxes shoved their heads against his knees, staring up at him pleadingly while Ori, in his pika shift clung tightly to Bilbo's collar.

They let out a plaintive sound, in stereo, and turned their heads up at him pleadingly, eyes, somehow, widening and Bilbo scowled before he sighed and muttered, "Fine."

They lynxes jumped away jovially and rushed over to where their bedrolls were, shifting mid-run (something that Bilbo did not understand _how_ they did) to bring their bed rolls over to where Bilbo had already placed his.

Bilbo sighed a bit and blinked a bit when he felt a tiny nose shove against his hand. He blinked and glanced down to find Ori staring up at him plaintively. "I wouldn't want you squished. I would sorely miss your company if I did, and I also don't fancy your brothers skinning me alive for that, no matter how accidental it may be," Bilbo answered gently and nearly started straight into his shift when Ori was on the ground and shifted before he could blink.

"Please?" he asked and hugged Bilbo around the middle tightly and Bilbo gave in instantly.

The three of them were far too much like his cousins for Bilbo's own good, he could tell.

Ori beamed and rushed off in his pika form.

Bilbo nearly toppled forward when a hand crashed down onto his shoulder and he looked up to find Nori smiling (though 'smiling' was a rather lenient term) and he smiled back shakily.

And then Nori got head-butted in the side by his brother. He yelped as he tumbled and Bilbo blinked in confusion before he noticed Dori sitting next to him in his normal form.

"I wanted to thank you," Dori stated and Bilbo frowned in confusion and Dori sighed, tapping his fingers together slightly in thought.

"When Ori discovered his shift, I panicked. Our family is, traditionally, big horn sheep, with some mountain goats thrown in for variety," Dori explained, his eyes sliding over to where the two lynxes seemed to be trying to, gently, catch the dashing pika.

"The last 'pika' we had on record, died very young. So, I've always been protective of him, more so, maybe then I should have been," Dori explained, eyes watching worriedly, while Nori slunk around in his gray fox form.

"So...thank you. For not saying 'no' about him spending the night with you in shift," Dori continued, surprising Bilbo, who gave a smile.

"It is not problem. He reminds me of my cousin. Who is...about the size of Ori, actually, in shift. I always worried he would get squished," Bilbo answered and remembered, also, how his own shift scared the otherwise fearless Took.

Surprised, and even scared, them all when Bilbo took his shift, in fact.

"Hobbit?" Dori called gently and Bilbo felt his muscles tense briefly before releasing.

"Sorry," Bilbo murmured and stood up, heading over to the nest that had been made by a pair of Dwarf shifted lynxes.

He nudged at the lynxes gently and smiled as, when he settled in, Kili rushed into his arms and promptly taunted Fili, who used the opportunity to lay on Bilbo's stomach and pressed his paws on Kili's back, who growled warningly at Fili.

"Shush," Bilbo scolded gently and smiled when he felt Ori settle into his hair.

And within moments, the lynxes quieted and Bilbo opened one eye to find Kili wide-awake and glaring while Fili kneaded a bit into Kili's back.

Bilbo let out a low sigh and reached up, earning an undignified sound that could be a hiss when he brought Fili off his perch (reminding Bilbo of his eldest cousin who often growled when disturbed) and settled him into the loose grip Kili had rushed to fill.

He then quietly rubbed both of their necks, right at the scruffs where, if they were kittens, Thorin would probably just haul them around by when they got to be too much. They settled and, with identical yawns, curled around each other before falling asleep, much to Bilbo's relief.

And he followed them into sleep.

When he woke in the early hours of the morning, it was to the realization of two things, the first being that Bofur had joined the pile sometime during the night in his red fox form.

The second was that Nori, in his gray fox form, was curled around Bilbo's head, protecting a still sleeping Ori who shifted periodically in his sleep.

Bilbo let out a low sigh and noticed how Bofur's head rested Bilbo's shoulder and he had arranged himself so that he would not upset any of the others.

Bilbo couldn't stop from smiling at that and then frowned, closing his eyes.

What did it matter?

He upset people in the Shire and, likely as anything, the Dwarfs would be upset with his shift as well.

Just as well.

He shouldn't be attaching himself to _any_ Dwarf, not even one as nice as Bofur.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's animal death in this chapter. (Bilbo hunts, basically)

Bilbo was, sorry to say, very relieved when trolls came and the orc pack chased them, because it completely distracted everyone from trying to figure out what his shift was.

Fili and Kili were too distracted fighting back to back with each other, while the rest were just plain distracted, though Bofur kept making sure that Bilbo was close, for the most part, making sure to help him keep up while they rushed to and fro, trying to keep up with Gandalf's wild directions.

Bilbo, really, wasn't that surprised when they exited to the sight of Rivendell.

At all.

Gandalf, he had learned through personal experience, did _not_ take 'no' on his advice for an answer, especially when he knew he could manipulate and nearly bully people into saying 'yes' or just give them no choice in the matter.

Bilbo took a deep breath and calmed himself.

Gandalf was a Wizard.

While he looked like a Man, he was not a Man and he often bent the rules to near breaking if it got him to his end.

And Bilbo looked around Rivendell, noting that they would be there for a week, waiting for the crescent moon to be upon them so they could read the moon runes and...

His bones _really_ ached.

He let out a low groan, wearily rubbing his neck before he looked around.

There were plenty of bushes around that he could hide in and, hopefully, neither Bofur or Nori would be around to find him.

He was also alone and he let out a low, hesitant, sigh.

He _needed_ to shift or he would become useless.

And, as Thorin already found him useless, he really didn't wish to actually _become_ so.

Making sure that, when he shifted, he would be hidden by the plant life, Bilbo closed his eyes and felt himself shift.

The least weasel that was once Bilbo let out a low cry of pain as his bones settled and forced himself to move until he was into as much of a burrow as he could get. He shivered a bit, his soft and silky coat of winter already coming in, the white underbelly and brownish coat he had been proud of in his youth for so brief a time, now only brought shame, along with his shift.

A weasel had no place in the Shire and, in all likelihood, in the Company either.

Bilbo stayed until his agony was gone and then he darted through the brush, returning once he felt his weasel instincts were sated with a rabbit he had made sure, multiple times, was not a shifter.

He had also made sure no blood stayed on his teeth or mouth before joining the others.

No need, after all, to ruin their illusions of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I'd apologize for the 'cub' thing, but that is a survival instinct that Bilbo taught himself, even though he wanted to call them 'kits'. In my headcanon, foxes are only slightly less accepted than badgers in the Shire and weasels...not at all. And also Bilbo terrified his relations, even his Took relations, due to the fact he took the form of a killer to basically every shift in the Shire with very few exceptions.
> 
> For those wondering, his mother was a badger and his father was a bunny rabbit.
> 
> Also, I have to admit, I always love how everyone's minds always go straight to Big Large Predators.


	6. Chapter 6

Bilbo nearly sighed as he turned to stare back at Rivendell, the way it shone and glittered in the rising sun. He would miss it, and the slight freedom he was able to accomplish there, but at the same time, he was glad to go.

The place had made the Company edgy and...well, there was the White Council to consider.

"Move Hobbit," Thorin stated and Bilbo turned, following the rest of the Company.

He blinked in surprise as he felt something pull on his pant leg and, when he looked down, he found Ori's pika form running up until he could settle on Bilbo's shoulder, before rubbing his head against the Hobbit's cheek. Bilbo smiled and ran a careful finger gently along his back before he focused forward, following.

He quickly found that Dori had Ori's pack. Dori eyed Bilbo as he passed and gave a small nod. Ori just settled more onto Bilbo's shoulder and...

Bilbo smiled when he felt Ori fall asleep and he carefully lifted his hand up to insure that Ori didn't accidentally fall off. He smiled a bit when he felt Ori, somehow, secure himself in sleep and focused on keeping his steps even.

By the time they had stopped for breakfast, Ori was awake and ready to run around excitedly...

And eat.

Bilbo smiled as Ori began to eat, in his Dwarf form, and Bilbo focused on his breakfast, listening to the chatter. He felt his shift try to go when he felt something jump onto his lap and he looked down to find Bofur settled on his lap, staring up at him innocently.

Bilbo relaxed and smiled, gently reaching down and scratching Bofur behind his ears.

He didn't notice the looks Bombur and Bifur shared as they watched their last family member melt into the attention Bilbo was giving him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References to Death in this chapter

Bilbo winced as the freezing cold rain cut through his clothes and he pointedly marched on. Rain, rain was just cruel and vicious and a shudder ran through him. A full bodied shudder that nearly sent Bilbo off his feet. What he wouldn't give for a fire and to be in his shift and get as close as he could to it. He continued to shiver as he marched up the mountain path, shaking a bit as he continued to move.

The stone giants...

The stone giants were unexpected. And so was nearly falling.

These were rocks, not wood. He heard, barely, his name, his species, and then Bofur was there, reaching for him. And Bilbo reached, he really did, stretching as much as he could, reaching up, only to have his fingers slip and nearly fall. And then Thorin grabbed him and threw him up and Bofur was pulling him up, patting him all over frantically, asking if he was okay.

"We nearly lost you there," one of the Dwarfs, maybe Bofur, but Bilbo is trying to get his heart rate under control.

And it is not enough to miss Thorin snap, "He's been lost since he left home. He has no place among us."

Bilbo panted softly as he held himself up on Bofur. Bofur, who helped him up into the small cave.

Bofur was obviously going to make sure he didn't slip and fall and die.

It was greatly appreciated.

Bilbo just wished had had something to offer in return.

* * *

 

The flames rage and Bilbo draws his _letter-opener_ and bares his teeth in a mockery of what his shift does when threatened.

He will not let their quest fall.

Yes, he is scared.

Yes, he wants to go home.

No, he will not let them kill Thorin, not like that.

He is a king and Bilbo will _not_ let him get beheaded by these creatures who do not respect him as such.

He would, in fact, not let _any_ be beheaded by Orcs, not even the Sackville-Baggins.

He charges, without any clue of how to use a sword, but because someone must and his sword sinks in.

Multiple times.

And then he's on his feet, shaking like a leaf in the storm, and swinging his sword, because to him that is what it is, before him. He stands his ground, ready to die for someone who hates him and does not respect him.

It is, Bilbo decides, his stupidest and bravest moment.

He hopes the warg gets him first.

Bilbo realizes he should not have been worried, and then they are flying through the air, Fili and Kili screaming for Thorin, their fear and concern for their kinsman breaking through their mask of indifference.

Bilbo is not blind, or stupid. He sees how Thorin looks at them when he thinks that none are looking, and how they looked back.

It is, Bilbo realized, very much like watching his Took cousins interact with the Thain.

And then he's sent through the emotional upheaval of listening to Thorin rip him to shreds and he does not think his heart can take it and...

The hug is unexpected and Bilbo doesn't know what to do with this sudden acceptance before he hugs Thorin back.

He's surprised he doesn't pass out, but then they are parting and the Lonely Mountain rises up like a pillar through the mist.

The thrush wings overhead and when Thorin says it is a good omen, he does not look at the thrush when he says it, he stares at _Bilbo_ and he almost tells them, right then, that he's no one's good omen, but he stays silent.

Well, except to say something that will probably turn out to be fundamentally stupid, but he says it anyway.

Because, Bilbo has a feeling that the worst isn't over yet.

Not by a long shot.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emetophobia in this chapter  
> Also, graphic violence

The group made their way down the stone 'steps' with wariness that came from concern over losing their footing and falling head first down the steps.

Well, except for Balin, Dori, Oin, and Gloin, who all had forms that were well adjusted to heading straight down mountainsides, the four often running ahead before they run back up to help the others find a safer way down.

Well, help Bilbo find a safer way down.

The other Dwarfs don't need nearly as much help, their natural instincts helping them find safe paths while all of Bilbo's instincts are scolding him for getting stuck on a mountain. They manage to get down as the darkness fills the valley and, with their lost packs, they have no provisions.

Gandalf speaks of a friend that he must go see and Bilbo can't shake a feeling off, like they shouldn't stop. He looked around and noticed some burrows. He carefully undid Sting from his hip and looked over at Bofur, who was watching him. "I'll be right back," he explained and Bilbo slipped away, before he shifted to investigate the burrows, if for no other reason then to scare out a few mouthfuls for the rest to shoot so they could eat.

It was in one of these burrows, however, that he heard an orc cry, though it wasn't one of the orcs that had been following them and he peeked out to find a few too thin orcs there.

And one...one was heading towards Ori.

* * *

Ori backed away from the orc, eyes wide.

He did not know how to wield a sword anymore then Bilbo, though at least Bilbo had a sword. They had barely any warning, and wouldn't have had any if Bofur hadn't noticed the blue glow coming from Bilbo's long knife and Ori continued to back away from the orc, finally managing to grab a stick and brandish it in front of him, knowing it was useless.

Especially when he tripped and fell back, hitting the ground.

He jerked his hand back on an automatic reaction when he felt something rush across his hand and he pushed away from the orc on his elbows as the orc swung and barely missed and...

A small furry being rushed up, shrieking in attack before it lunged at the jugular tiny teeth bared as it began to chew. Black blood flooded as the small thing began to tear and rip at the orc's throat, forcing it to drop its sword and try to swing at the small rodent, who merely dodged so it was against the back of the neck, still tearing as black blood continued to flow.

The orc began to cry and the rodent ran down, jumping down about a foot to the ground and rushing to Bilbo's sword, only to shift, drawing the still glowing blue weapon to plunge it into the orc, a soft panting filling the air.

Black blood stained Bilbo's hands and Ori's eyes were wide when he realized that it covered most of Bilbo's clothing, in fact and Bilbo covered his mouth with the previously unstained wrist cuff as the blade flickered out.

"You okay Ori?" he asked, sounding as if he were sitting in his Hobbit hole, not covered in the black blood of an orc.

An orc he had chewed and ripped apart before stabbing multiple times.

Ori was sure that it said he was made of sterner stuff than expected when he didn't faint, just nodded.

"Ori!" Dori called and he managed to squeak while Bilbo seemed to focus on not throwing up.

Dori was there, checking him over, and he smiled in relief. "Master Baggins," Ori managed to get out and Dori turned just in time to hear Bilbo throw up.

"Are you alright Hobbit?" Dori asked, still clinging to Ori, though Ori could see Dori's eyes widen as he caught sight of Bilbo, saw the way everyone eyed the black blood staining his mouth, hands, feet, and clothes.

"Orc blood tastes disgusting," Bilbo stated and Ori decided now was okay to pass out.

So he did.


	9. Chapter 9

Bilbo winced as Ori passed out and he spat more blood out of his mouth, startling a bit when he a wet cloth was held in front of his face. He blinked a bit and looked up to see Bofur holding it out to him in concern. Bilbo gave a closed mouth smile and he carefully took it so he could wipe off his mouth, wincing as the taste remained on his tongue.

"Remind me to never do that again," Bilbo muttered softly and immediately bent over to spit more of the black blood out of his mouth.

When he was standing back up normally, Bofur was holding a waterskin out to him and helped Bilbo pour some into his mouth so he could swish the water around before spitting it out, taking most of the orc blood with it. "Thank you," Bilbo answered.

"We didn't see a thing, Bilbo, except maybe Ori," Bofur stated and Bilbo gave a smile.

"Least weasel. I'm a least weasel. Which, considering the Shire and all the burrowing animals...never mind. I...am going to need new clothes. And I need to clean the orc blood and...skin out from under my nails," Bilbo muttered.

He nearly fell forward as he felt a hand clasp on his shoulder heavily and he turned to stare at Thorin, who was eyeing him. "What in Middle Earth possessed you to attack in such a small form?" Thorin asked.

"I was already in it and not near my weapon. And Ori was being cornered. And the orc missed, so I took advantage of it," Bilbo answered, still feeling like he should be working on getting clean.

He was not expecting Nori to hug him, tightly and Bilbo stared around in confusion before he noticed Dori was holding Ori, who was regaining consciousness. "Mr. Bilbo!" Ori exclaimed, struggling to his feet and running over.

Bilbo never had a chance in escaping the young scribe, as Nori released Bilbo right before Ori hugged Bilbo tightly. Only after hugging him did Ori beging patting him over, similar to how Dori pat him over, ignoring how the orc blood stained his mittens. "You're all right?" Ori asked and Bilbo nodded dumbly, unsure of how to handle this.

"He needs to get cleaned up Ori," Bofur reminded him and Bilbo let himself by pulled away while Ori shed his ruined mittens before beginning to search through everyone's spare things for something to replace Bilbo's ruined clothes.

* * *

 

Thorin gave his Company a once over, though both Bofur and Bilbo were out of sight.

He wondered if this meant that Bilbo would finally start shifting in their presence.

Thorin, for all his thoughts, had a feeling it would not.

He smiled a bit, though it was hidden by shadow.

He had no doubt his nephews would change that.

Eventually.


	10. Chapter 10

Bilbo sighed as found that getting clean was next to impossible. "Bilbo, just shift," Bofur stated and Bilbo looked over at him in confusion.

"What?" Bilbo asked.

"Shift. I'll be careful and not touch anything inappropriate," Bofur responded cheerfully. Bilbo, however, looked away and crossed his arms protectively around middle.

"Yes, well, forgive me for not being comfortable with that," Bilbo muttered.

"Why?" Bofur asked in confusion.

Bilbo tightened his hold around his middle and _almost_ answered. Almost said the words that were heavy in his mind.

_My shift...it...it is not an accepted one. No family, in all of the Shire, has had a weasel before me and, to my knowledge, out of it either. Each family is usually just _one_ type of burrowing animal, like rabbit or hedgehogs, or harmless creatures, for the most part. Tooks don't follow that. They're usually badgers though, but occasionally small little field mice. And everyone on my father's side of the family blamed the Took blood for a murderer by instinct being born into the Shire. So, no, I'll just...manage._

It isn't until Bofur is hugging him tightly and the fact his face is wet, that he is _crying_ that Bilbo realizes he didn't keep the words inside. Didn't lock them up and keep them close and answer in some proper manner instead.

But Bofur is holding him tight and whispering comforting words, about how he doesn't know how they could ever think Bilbo would do such a thing. Ever _consider_ that Bilbo would kill without having need to, such as the orc going after Thorin, or the one going after Ori; defense.

And Bilbo, who is still coated in orc blood (and staining Bofur's clothes, but Bofur isn't letting him go), falls into the embrace. And when Bofur let's him go, he shifts. And Bofur, with a gentle cloth, begins to clean the orc blood from his mouth, and under his claws.

And when all is said and done, and he is _really_ fluffy from being dried off, though there are some spots of orc blood that wouldn't come out, Bofur just picks him up and holds him close. Bilbo is surprise, his head coming over Bofur's shoulder and Bofur smiles, running a gentle finger along the underside of Bilbo's jaw and Biblo makes a happy sound, eyes closing in contentment.

Sleepy and tired, he barely notices when he is rested near a fire, or when a red fox settles around him, curling around him protectively, his front leg over the weasel and keeping him close.

But his instincts tell him this is _Bofur_ and that is enough to ease him into sleep.

* * *

 

No one says a word, especially when Bofur bares his teeth warningly at Nori, though he does not twitch when Ori scuttles over, settling on Bilbo's shoulder/neck junction, cuddled against where Bofur's neck rests as well, the fox's tail curling around Bilbo for the most part.

He also does not growl when Fili and Kili sneak over in lynx form before curling around the trio, as they are bigger. The rest stare at the way they all curl around Bilbo.

And they wondered what has made Bofur so protective of their Burglar.


	11. Chapter 11

Bilbo woke to a voice whispering, “Ori, come on now. Let’s get you up before our Burglar awakes.”

There was a soft sound on his back in response and Bilbo wondered what was going on, but he felt warm and safe, so he wasn’t inclined to move. “Ori, let’s go. Bilbo will be waking up soon and we don’t want you getting hurt on accident, do we?” a voice asked, and it was one he knew.

What he didn’t know was who it was that was speaking, but he couldn’t stop the slight tensing and he nearly jumped out when he felt something like grooming along his neck, as if trying to calm him down, and there was an irritated growl of a lynx before someone began to lick his head carefully.

It was then that he remembered he was shifted, that he had fallen asleep in _shift_ , and he let his paw twitch. Then his head shifted from side to side while his eyes opened, taking in the embers before him and his nose inhaled Bofur's scent.

Bofur was there, Bofur had to be the one who was licking the top of his head gently, and the one who was grooming the back of his neck had to be Ori.

“Bilbo’s up!” Kili exclaimed and Bofur grumbled in his fox form before he slowly got up, allowing Bilbo up as well before Ori jumped off and ran away a bit, shifting once he was safely away from accidentally harming Bilbo.

Bilbo didn't have a chance to shift as he was being picked up gently and being cuddled by Kili.

Kili who was careful and gentle, rubbing his finger along Bilbo’s jawline, and he grinned when Bilbo made happy noises. “Can we keep him like this?” Kili asked and Bilbo let out a soft sound of slight protest.

He heard Bofur strangle his chuckling, which earned Bilbo’s quiet grumblings. “Now, now, Kili, let Bilbo go. He needs to eat, just like everyone else,” Bofur stated and Kili whined a bit.

“But…he’s so soft,” Kili protested and Bilbo made another content sound.

“Can I see?” Ori asked and Bilbo blinked a bit as he was lifted up by Ori’s hands, with new mittens most likely, carefully, so that Bilbo was now free of Kili’s gentle grip, and cradled him, gently against his shoulder and the thick cardigan.

He shifted a bit as Ori began to gently pet him down his neck, carefully, and he heard the excitement in his voice. “He is!” Ori squeaked and Bilbo was sure he would detest being cooed over being soft and fluffy later.

Maybe.

This was _really_ nice.

“Ori, Bilbo needs to eat. If you ask nice, maybe he’ll shift later. And his waistcoat isn’t on either, it is with his weapon. He’ll probably want that on as well,” Bofur stated and Ori sighed before he carefully settled Bilbo on the ground.

And Bilbo shifted, shaking all over once he was standing, going to retrieve both his weapon and his waistcoat.

He had a feeling today was going to be a long day.

He barely noticed when he slipped his hand into his pocket to make sure that the ring was still there.

He just knew that it was there, safe and sound still.

He wasn’t sure why he cared so much about it.

It was just a ring.

Wasn’t it?

Thoughts of an incredibly useful ring that turned him invisible were driven from his mind when Bofur said breakfast was ready.

Food was always a welcome distraction from unwanted thoughts.

* * *

 

Bilbo ignored the pleadings of Fili, Kili, and Ori to shift so they could take turns cuddling him. Now that they knew his shift, they were probably going to bug him until he decided to give into the pressure and shift once more.

But now all he could hear was the cry of surprise and terror, his aunt's terrified scream when Bilbo had brought his cousin to her in his mouth, having saved him and rushing back, leaving the terrified, but still breathing, field mouse there and he had hid in a back corner until his mother managed to convince him to come out of hiding.

"Please Bilbo!" Kili begged and Thorin turned, giving them a sharp look which caused Kili to try and hide behind Bilbo, which was ridiculous on two levels.

Bofur smiled and held a hand out, taking the long knife from Bilbo's hands as Bilbo worked on folding his waist coat into his coat, which Fili took with a smile, that...

Bilbo felt incredibly nervous about that, for some reason. He almost told them it was a bad idea and that he had changed his mind, but he shook off the silly thought, mentally though not physically and hesitated before he shifted, curling in on himself slightly as he stood on the trail.

And then Ori was holding him, cuddling him to his chest and cooing over how soft he was. But even those gentle hands could not not hide Dori's nervous gaze or Nori's protective one.

They reminded him of his aunt.

If he buried his head into Ori's palm and, later, Kili's shoulder, well...that was his problem, wasn't it?


	12. Chapter 12

Beorn’s is a relief, in more ways than one.

In the first place, it allows them to heal from the Goblins, and Orcs (and one Gollum and one very long fall from a wooden bridge and Bilbo was truly lucky he hadn’t cracked his head open and, in fact, had nothing worse than a few impressive bruises). In the second place, it allows them to repair that needs to be repaired.

Bilbo takes advantage of this, settling down with his sewing, humming Hobbit songs, and pretending that he doesn’t keenly feel the missing presence of Ori settled on his shoulder or just near him in general.

The young Dwarf is kept far from Bilbo by Dori and Nori with skill that suggests that the brothers do this often and without Ori even realizing he is being kept from someone.

When Bilbo is done with his own repairs, he helps Fili and Kili with their things, still humming quietly.

It is not a song he would sing in this Company and, in fact, was a song he despised. But it was the one that decided to play through his mind and he hummed it softly, even though it hit far too close to home with everyone here, including himself despite his harsh words in the cave, because he was angry, because what he told Thorin was a _lie_ , but wasn’t at the same time.

“What are you humming?” Kili asked and Bilbo looked up, forced out of his thoughts and from humming.

“A silly Hobbit song,” Bilbo answered and Kili gently nudged him, causing him to look up.

“Silly for Hobbits, not here,” Bilbo clarified, but now Fili was staring at him as well.

“But…what is it?” Kili asked.

“Not an appropriate song for here,” Bilbo repeated.

“Then why hum it?” Fili questioned.

Bilbo felt like smacking them _both_ upside the head. “It is stuck in my head,” Bilbo answered and smiled a bit as Bofur managed to crawl into Bilbo’s lap.

“Well, sing it!” Fili stated.

“Then it will get out of your head,” Kili finished.

Bilbo resisted the urge to roll his eyes at them before he let out a soft sigh. “Very well. I apologize in advanced,” Bilbo responded.

He focused on his stitching as he began to sing, quietly.

 _”Butterfly, Butterfly, whence do you come?_  
 **’I know not, I ask not,  
Nor ever had a home.’**  
Butterfly, Butterfly, where do you go?  
 **’Where the sun shines,  
And where the buds grow.’**”

He looked up and into the confused faces of Fili and Kili. “Why would Hobbits find it silly?” Fili asked.

“Silly because he went on an adventure, obviously, and forgot all about his nice home, or something of equal irritating…” Bilbo answered and cut himself off sharply.

He took a deep breath and bent over his stitching once more. “I always hated that song,” Bilbo added softly, trying to think of another song.

“Why? As you told Thorin, you have a home to go back to. One where the sun shines and the buds grow,” Kili responded, voice warm and light, but Bilbo didn’t look up.

In fact, he didn’t look up till he was finished from stitching up Fili’s shirt and handed it over to the blonde prince. “I think I’m going to take a walk,” Bilbo stated and carefully settled Bofur to the side before he stood up and left.

Bofur, however, refused to be left behind, and ran off after Bilbo, shifting once he was close to the Hobbit.

And Fili and Kili shared confused glances, wondering what just happened.


	13. Chapter 13

Bilbo was in shift.

Bilbo was in shift and practically cuddling into Bofur’s lap as the miner gently pet the least weasel shift. Ori watched quietly and then he was in his shift and racing across the floor, easily dodging Nori’s attempts to grab him, carefully, by rushing through small spaces that Nori, not even in his fox shift, would risk going through and he picked up speed as he rushed across the floor and earned a laugh as he sped up Bofur’s leg to settle sniff at Bilbo.

The least weasel yawned and made an odd sound, before he sniffed back. There was a happy sound and Ori quickly crawled up so that he was nestled right under Bilbo’s jaw. There was some careful jostling and shifting, which earned disgruntled grumblings from Bilbo before they were on the bedding. Ori made an irritated sound, before he buried himself back under, followed by Bofur carefully curling over, and around, them in his own shift.

The miner then yawned and settled into sleep.

Ori shifted, buried himself into the warmth that surrounded him, and joined the pair into sleep.

It was good to be hanging out with Bilbo again.

He’d missed the Hobbit.

* * *

Bilbo shifted slightly as he felt a gentle finger running from his skull and down his back midway before going back up to his skull. Each gentle pet was soothing, waking him gently and he slowly blinked awake before he twisted around to find that it was Ori gently petting him, smiling brightly down at him.

"Oh, good, you are awake. Bofur was starting to get worried and I eventually got him to go get you some breakfast," Ori stated as he continued to pet Bilbo and Bilbo let out a soft sigh, before he moved off of Ori's lap, shifting back into Hobbit form.

"Oh, good. I was-" Bilbo began to answer before he was cut off with a sharp squeak as he was hauled up into the air, large arms that could easily carry him in the crook of his arm hauling him close, and Bilbo flushed as he heard Beorn chortle out, "Bunny-Weasel getting fat on bread and honey, yes?"

Bilbo flushed more and struggled to get out of Beorn's arms, even as the Dwarves laughed a bit at his situation, even Bofur, though his eyes were tight around the edges in concern.

While Bilbo had never expected anyone to accept his weasel shift, he was more than happy that these Dwarves, especially Ori and Bofur, had.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted [Here](http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/2235.html?thread=3001787#t3001787)
> 
> Thus why the chapter numbers kept changing. I'll be coming around and editing it more (and maybe write a sequel), but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.


End file.
